The study measured each participant’s body mass index (BMI) scores by using their individual height and weight figures as part of a mathematical calculation. The BMI score is a rough measure of how much excess weight a person may carry.
The study found that decreasing BMI by 5.8 points resulted in an increase in wealth by more than four thousand dollars ($4,085). In addition, when BMI was reduced by 10 points, which is considered a large weight change, a wealth increase as much as a $12,720 was observed. In general, a one-unit increase in a person's BMI was roughly associated with a $1,300 or 8 percent reduction in wealth. But the changes varied dramatically by ethnicity and gender.
No one can promise that a loss of weight using effective treatment strategies like weight loss surgery will lead to the kind of increased income seen in this study. But it’s reasonable to assume that the successful outcomes of weight loss surgery patients would result in lower medical costs and far fewer weight-related financial strains.
Beyond Dollars and Cents
In addition to the negative financial impact that excess weight carries, there are also impacts on quality of life. People who are severely overweight may have difficulty performing simple daily tasks, such as tying one’s shoes or walking up a flight of stairs. Many obese people have trouble sitting in standard furniture or fitting into airplane or movie theater seats.
